Nose plug



Feb. 9, 1960 E. H. REGEL ETAL 2,924,217

NOSE PLUG Filed Nov. 2, 195a INVENTORS.

flu 00d hf Hegel United States Patent NOSE PLUG Elwood'H. Regeland JohnA. Reid, Glenwood, Iowa Application November 2, 1956, Serial No. 620,064

1 Claim. (Cl. 128148) This, invention relates to nose plugs and more particularly it is an object to provide a nose plug of better appearance and less likely to be knocked out. of place.

In the past the most popular nose clips for swimming have been of the type that press against the outside of the nose. These have had the disadvantage that they are unsightly in appearance inasmuch as they are completely visible and detract from the beauty of the swimmer.

Outside nose clips have had the further disadvantage that they can become knocked off the nose of the wearer, by contact with the hands of the swimmer or other swimmers whereby they are dangerous to persons who are using them, especially in cases in which the nose closure is a very serious medical necessity.

It is an object of our invention to provide a nose plug so constructed as to be substantially invisible for attractive appearance.

A further object of our invention is to provide a nose plug in which the plugging portions themselves are of elongated shape for fitting into the lower portions of the nose where a nose plug can be worn with much greater comfort than in the sensitive upper nostril areas.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nose device the plug portions of which are held in place by the resiliency of a spring member in connecting the plug portions, as we have discovered is possible if the plugging portions themselves are sufliciently horizontally elongated and of such size that the maintenance of the plug portions in position is less difiicult than is the case when the plug portions extend vertically into the nose.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present inventio'n will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claim, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the nose plug of our invention;

Figure 2 is a rearward end view thereof as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 illustrates the nose plug of our invention in place in the nostrils of a user as seen from the underside thereof;

Figure 5 illustrates the attractive appearance of the nose plug of our invention in use; and

Figure 6 illustrates the way the finger grips are grasped for spreading the plug members for installation and removal from the nose.

Referring toFig. 1; thenose plug of this invention is generally indicatedat 10 having two elongated plugging po'rtions 12 and 14 which are arranged alongside each other.

The plugging portions 12v and 14 are of substantially greater length than width whereby they are adapted to extend substantially horizontally in thelower portion of each nostril respectively just about the wider vomer portion 19. of the central part: of the nose as best seen in Fig. 4.

The plugginggpo'rtions. 12. and 14 actually are slightly inclinedinwardly at. the upper ends of their outer sides, as best seen in Figure 2, to a, slight extent; they are also tapered fromv wider,. rearward ends to smaller. forward ends.

The plugging portions. 12 and 14 are: substantially'of; the shape of the lower end portions of the nostrils of a human being which are above the wider vomer po'rtions of the nose and the plugging portions are of substantially greater widths at their rearward ends than at their forward ends.

The forward end of each nose plug is preferably curved inwardly toward the forward end of the opposite nose plug somewhat as best seen in Figure 1 whereby the inner side of each plugging portion is concave as seen at 18. It will be seen that the plugging portions 12 and 14 have upright sides which are of a substantial height for preventing the leakage of water therethrough providing contact with the nostrils over substantial areas, such height preferably being one-fourth of an inch or more, as best seen in Figure 2 or by a comparison of sizes with the fingers shown in Figure 6.

The plugging portions are interconnected by suitable connecting means such as a resilient member 20 which is attached to the lower end of each plugging portion and extends downwardly therefrom in substantially a U-shape as best seen in Fig. 2 whereby interconnecting portion is adapted to fit under the central or vomer portion 19 of the no'se.

On the underside of the interconnecting portion 20 is a finger clip portion 22 which extends horizontally a sufiicient distance whereby when the opposite ends of the finger clip portion 22 are pinched by the fingers the upper ends of the substantially U-shaped interconnecting portion 20 tends to spread apart for releasing the plugging po'rtion of the nose.

The resilient interconnecting portion 22 is of such shape when in normal position that at times when the plug is placed on the nose of a user then the interconnecting portion tends to urge the plugging portions toward each other for helping to hold the nose plug in position on the nose.

It is preferable that the finger clip portion 22 have nibs protruding outwardly from the lowermost portions thereof and at each end thereof as seen at 24 under which the finger nails 26 are received as best seen in Figure 6 for removal of the nose plug from the nose 30. The shape of the plugging portions is such that as best seen in Figures 4 and 5 the nose plug can be comfortably received vin the nose 30 of the swimmer 32.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a nose plug constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that our invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown r 3 in carrying out our invention in practice, except as claimed. v

A nose plug having two elongated water-proof plugging portions arranged alongside each other, said plugging portions being of substantially greater length than width whereby they are adapted to extend substantiallyhorizontally in the lower portion of each nostril respectively above the vomer portio'n of the nose, said plugging portions each being-of a height of at least one-fourth of an inch for'providing upright sides for engagement with the nostrils which are sufficiently high as to provide cone tact with the nostrils over substantial areas to prevent water from leaking past the plugging portions, and means for interconnecting said plug portions comprising a 1 resilient member attached to the lower end of each plugging portion'respectively and adapted to fit under the central portion of the nose, and a finger clip protruding outwardly from the lower side-of the intercon- 10 the nose.

necting portion for convenience in removal of the nose so that when the fingers are pressed against opposite ends thereof the resilient interconnecting member is spread outwardly at its upper ends for facilitating the removal of the plugging portions, and in'which the resilient interconnecting portion is of a natural shape such that it tends to press the plugging portions toward each other in the nose to assist in holding the plugging portions in References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Herman Nov. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 509,545 Germany --t Oct. 9, 1930 

